JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Ken Amaro has been on our side for 42 years now, and he's earned his retirement, which begins at the end of November 2021.
At the TV station, all of us at First Coast News figured we knew Ken Amaro well.
But to celebrate Ken even more, we talked with his wife, Roz, and his four daughters, two who live in Jacksonville, one in Orlando and one in Baton Rouge. He has two grandchildren, Sophia and Jeremiah.
So here are five things we didn't even know about Ken:
#1 Ken Amaro has a twin brother.
"A lot of people don't know that," says his wife, Roz.
Ken and and his twin, Keith, are the oldest of 10 siblings. Keith lives in California, and recently he and Ken had a reunion. They grew up in St. Croix in the Virgin Islands.
Ken says, "What amazes me as kids is we had no telephone ... no telephone growing up. But if I did something wrong, she knew before I got home!"
Ken's speaking about his mother. He remembers her with great respect.
"One of those things she said was, 'Don't embarrass my name.'"
#2 Ken was a DJ, and that helped spark his romance with Roz.
At first Roz wasn't head over heels about Ken.
"He asked me out and I think I said, 'No,'" she says.
But eventually he approached her for a dance where he was a DJ. Roz said she'd accept if she heard one of her favorite songs.
She did. And the dance floor led to a romantic dinner at an Italian restaurant.
"He was such a gentleman. I was impressed with him," Roz says.
#3 Ken is an ordained pastor.
Roz says in the early years, "I'd take the girls to church and he would stay home and watch football." But then, Ken decided to attend church, and Roz says, "He was all in."
Roz says she always prays for Ken's safety as a journalist. Her favorite Bible verse is, "No weapon formed against me shall prosper."
Several of our First Coast News family members have chosen Ken to marry them. Ken also preaches and conducts funeral services.
His daughter Felicia says, "He always prayed with us growing up. On the way to Sunday School, he gave us scriptures to read in the car."
She says often she sees her dad "kneeling in prayer."
All the girls talk about their dad's love of gospel music -- seems Ken likes to "blast" it in the morning to start his day.
His daughters remember, as they were growing up, seeing their dad stop at convenience stores to talk with people and listen. And help.
It wasn't for TV. It was just from his heart.
Courtney says, "And even if a man was wearing tattered clothes ... he was without ... my Dad would still say, 'Good morning. What do you have going on?'"
Courtney says, "It's beautiful."
#4 Ken is quite the chef.
His daughters talk about his gumbo and salt fish. His Caribbean background influences his cooking.
But let's not forget the sweets.
Meagan says, "He makes really good..." She pauses for a split second, as her daughter, Sophia, finishes the thought. "Apple pie!" she says.
They talk about his French toast, as the best on earth. Ken has a unique approach; he bakes it in the oven.
(Side note: Kudos to Roz, as well, for the best homemade blueberry muffins ever. Good food at the Amaro home!)
#5 Ken has a favorite stress reliever -- Home Depot.
For years, we've heard Ken say on TV, "Don't get mad. Say, 'I'm telling Ken.'"
But does he ever get mad?
"He doesn't like to see anyone mistreated," Roz says. He does get upset to find out people have been ripped off, but Roz says they try hard to preserve their home as "their sanctuary," a place to relax. They try to leave work conversations at work.
But when stress does build, his daughters say their dad goes to a home improvement store.
Felicia says, "He'll go to Home Depot for two hours and come home with a bunch of flowers and start planting stuff."
Strolling around Home Depot can help, but no doubt Ken's deepest joy comes from his faith and his family.
Even long hours working as a journalist didn't stop him from being Dad.
Brianna says her father always is there to encourage and guide. She says every morning when he drove her to school, he'd inspire her to push for success, even during challenges.
"That's what he would say every morning. Give it your best effort," she says.
Felicia says, "Dad, thank you for not just being the guy on TV, but being Dad."
